Purana Qila

Why in news?

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is all set to begin excavation at Delhi’s Purana Qila again.

About Purana Qila:

• Purana Qila is the 16th-century fort.
• It was built by the second Mughal Emperor Humayun and Surid Sultan Sher Shah Suri.
• The walls of the Purana Quila are made of enormous red stones having minimal ornamentation and decoration.
• The fort formed the inner citadel of the city of Dinpanah
• The major attractions inside the fort are the Qila-i-Kuhna mosque of Sher Shah Suri, Sher Mandal (a tower, which is traditionally associated with the death of Humayun), a stepwell and the remains of the extensive rampart which has three gates.
• Excavations have revealed that the Purana Quila stands at the site of Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas.

Add ons:

• Purana Quila is also the only place in Delhi, which has cultural deposits of the last 2,500 years in its various layers, from the pre-Mauryan to the modern era.
• The findings and artefacts unearthed in earlier excavations comprise painted grey ware, belonging to 900BC, an earthen pottery sequence from Maurya to Shunga, Kushana, Gupta, Rajput, Sultanates and Mughal periods.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

With reference to ‘Purana Qila’, consider the following statements:

1. It was built by Mughal emperor Akbar

2. The fort formed the inner citadel of the city of Dinpanah

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer